Sealing apparatus



' April 1944- c. JQMA HloT r 2,346,776

smmne APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

CZareweJMaZfzz'aZ 'W %RNEYS.

April 18, 1944. c. J. MALHIOT 2,346,776

' SEALING APPARATUS Fiied June 20, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6; a 55 22.5170 ?z+ i f fihilh W. I

I INVENTORf GlarezzaaJflaZ/zz'o Patented A 18, 1944 UNITED STATES. PATENT oFFics SEALING APPARATUS Clarence r. Malhiot, on: imam, assignor to F. B. Bedlngton 00., Chicago, 11]., a corporatlon of Illinois Application June 20, 1941, Serial No. 398,990

Claims.

for effecting the complete, positive, and smooth adherence together of adhesively secured wrapping and sealing members such as wrappers and seals for packaging and retaining articles or the like.

A further object is the provision of a sealing apparatus for adhesively securing surfaces together in which surfaces having an adhesive coating therebetwee% are subjected to a substantially constantly varying pressure during drying and setting of the adhesive to properly distribute the adhesive and provide for a firm, smooth, and uniform adherence between the surfaces.

A further object is the provision of such sealing apparatus in which the varying pressure is applied to substantially the entire coated area of the surfaces, and diiferent variable pressures are applied to different portions of the surfaces.

A further object is the provision of suchsealing apparatus in which the pressure for securing adhesively contacting surfaces together is varied to apply alternately increasing and decreasing pressures to certain portions of the surfaces while applying alternately decreasing and increasing pressures to adjacent portions of the surfaces.

A still further obiec't'is a provision of sealing apparatus of the character above described which is continuous and automatic in operation, and provides for continuously receiving articles or the like having an adhesive coating between contacting surfaces thereof. applying a varying pressure to the coated surfaces for a time sufliclent to effect a substantial drying a d setting of the adhesive, and continuously discharging the articles or the like with the coated surfaces firmly and uniformly secured together.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the follow-, ing specification.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the therein areas follows:

views 65 it and I4. A transverse shaft 241s rotatably Fig. 1 is a top-plan view, partly in section, of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top-plan view, partly in section, showing certain details of the structure of the apparatus shown in Fig. .1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view corresponding to a portion of Fig. 3 on a reduced scale and showing a modified construction.

The particular machine herein shown and de. scribed for illustrating the invention is for the purpose of securing a seal or like member to thefolded ends of a wrapper for tubular articles, such as a roll of toilet paper or the like, to maintain the wrapper closed and in position around the article, and is particularly adapted for use with the wrapping machine disclosed in the applicants co-pending application, Serial No.398,987, filed concurrently herewith and assigned to the present assignee, and the feeding and applying mechanism shown in the applicant's co-pending 2 application, Serial No. 398,988, also filed concurrently herewith and assigned to thepresent assignee. The invention is not limited, however, to this precise purpose or to use in conjunction with the above described machines, but is applicable,

5 in general, for forming a strong, smooth, and

:uniform bond between any desired adhesiveiy coated surfaces and more particularly to the securing of a wrapper or the like around any desired article or object.

' indicated generally by the reference numeral In and comprises a supporting pedestal II, a supporting plate [2 carried by the pedestal, and a pair of longitudinally extending plates I3 and 40 It carried by the plate H. The plates i3 and chine.

In the illustrated embodiment, the rolls of toilet paper 20 or other articles are adapted to be fed to the sealing apparatus by a contlnuousgrotating conveyor, and for this purpose a pair of conveyor chains 2| and 22 are shown at the feeding or left hand end of the machine as viewed in Fig. 1 and are adapted to tralna'round and to be operated by a sprocket. 23 carried by suitable 1' v hearings (not shown) on the undersid of plates Referring to thedrawings, the apparatus is connected to the drive shaft '21.

adjacent the sprocket 33 and has an operative connection (also not shown) with the sprocket.

by the feeding conveyor 2l--22 and moving them through the sealing apparatus. The chains and 3! are individually mounted on the respective plates i8 and i4 and train around sprockets 32 and 33 mounted on shafts l4 and 35 rotatably carried by each of the plates l3 and I4. As shown in Fig. 2, a bearing block it is attached to the underside of the plates l3 and I4 and provides a bearing for rotatably mounting the shafts 35, the shafts 84 being similarly supported. The shafts 34 and sprockets 32, however, are merely idlers while the shafts and sprockets 33 are adapted to be driven by the drive shaft 21.

For this purpose a transversely extending shaft 40 is rotatably carried by the bearing block 18 and carries bevel gears 4| and 42 which, mesh withbevel Bears 43 and 44 attached to the shafts 35. A bevel gear 45 is attached to one end of the shaft 40 and meshes with a bevel gear 48 Thus, as the drive shaft 21 is continuously rotated the sprockets 33 are continuously rotated and eii'ect continuous travel of the conveyor chains 30 and II. The block 36 has an extension 41 providing for v I 9,846,176 mounted on the underside of plates l8 and I4 other adhesively coated portions of the wrappe into firm engagement with the wrapper.

supporting the end of the shaft 40 and a projection 48 providing a bearing for the end of shaft 27.

The conveyor chains II and 3| each comprise a plurality of upper and lower links 50 and Bi, respectively, pivotally connected together as indicated at 52 and separated by rollers 53. The rollers 53 are adapted to be en aged by the teeth of the driving sprockets 38 to effect movement of the conveyor chains 34 and fl and also mesh with the teeth on the idler sprockets 32 during movement of the conveyor chains.

A presser plate II is attached to each or the respective upper and lower links it and if by means of upwardly and downwardly extending flanges at and 51 provided on the links ill and BI. respectively. The presser plates I! are adapted to engage against opposite ends of the article 20 as it is received in the machine and to move the article through the apparatus. The presser plates II also provide for securing and sealing the ends of a wrapper or the like around the article 20 during its passage through the machine.

The article 24 is adapted to be delivered to the sealing apparatus II by means of the conveyor chains 2I-22 with a wrapper properly enclosing the same and having its ends folded to be adhesively secured in closed position around the article. The adhesive for securing the folded ends in podtion is applied before the article is ends of the article before being fed to the apparatus. The presser plates 55 engage against the ends of the article 2! and press the seals or The chains 30 and ii and the presser plates I which engage the opposite ends of the article 2. are supported throughout the inner reach between the sprockets I2 and 33 by means of an angle bar I mounted on each of the plates II and i4 and having an upstanding leg 6| adapted to engage and provide a guide forthe rollers If of the conveyor chains. The angle bars 60 are adiustably mounted on the plates II and I4 by means of transversely extending slots 62 provided in the angle bars and bolts 63 extending through the slots 02 and threadedly engaging the plates l3 and I4. The angle bars 60 are mounted in proper adjustment on the plates l3 and I4 by means of adjusting screws 64 which are threadabLv received within upstanding lugs provided on the plates i3 and I4. Lock nuts 84 provide for maintaining the screws 04 in adjusted position. The angle bars OI thus provide for spacing and supporting the inner reaches of the conveyor chains and the presser bars ll carried thereby at a proper distance apart with respect to thearticle 20 and at the same time are adjustable to accommodate articles of diiferent sizes and dimensions.

To provide for forming a strong, smooth and uniirm bond between the adhesively coated surfaces of the article 20 during its passage through the apparatus i0 and setting of the adhesive, the presser plates 55 are given a movement providing for varying the pressure applied to the coated areas of the articles and for alternately increasing and decreasing the pressures applied to certain portions of the coated surfaces while ap: plying alternately decreasing and increasins pressures to adjacent portions of the surfaces. This movement of the plates 55 is accomplished by means of a cam surface 10 provided on the upstanding leg 6| of the angle bar 60. As shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 3, the cam surface lll comprises a plurality of spaced raised portions ll separated by depressed curved portions I2. The rollers 43 of the conveyor chains 34 and 3| ride upon the cam surface 10 and owing to their pressure against the ends of the article are caused to follow the configurations of this cam surface. Thus, as the conveyor chains In and Ii advance the article 20 through the apparatus la the rollers 53 of the chains alternately ride upon the raised portion H and the curved depressed portion 12 of the cam surface II. Hecesses II are provided in the leg ii of angle bars 6| at opposite sides of the cam surface Ill, Fig. 4, and provide for receiving the sides of links In and II while the rollers I! ride on the cam surface.

The presser plates 55 are, accordingly, pressed against the ends of the article 20 with a substantially constantly increasing and decreasing pressure and at the same time the plates II are rocked to alternately increase and decrease the pressure applied to certain portions of the article 20 while simultaneously decreasing and increasing the pressure applied to adjacent portions of the article. This movement of the plate II is clearly indicated in the left hand portion of Pig. 3 in which the movement has been exaggerated to better illustrate the action of the plates.

Instead of a continuous cam surface II,- a plurality of spaced rollers I! mounted on stud shafts 10 carried by the plates II and I4 may be provided to guide and support the inner reaches of the conveyor chains and cause the rocking movement of the plates II as shown in Fig. 5.

tribute the adhesive and secure the surfaces firmly and uniformly together. The lengthof the article 2! travels therethrough is such that the adhesive has properly set before the article is discharged from the right hand end of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1.- The article is thus discharged from the machine with the adhesiveLv coated surfaces thereof strongly, smoothly and uniformly bonded together. The apparatus also provides for continuously receiving articles from the conveyor Il-II, continuously moving the articles through the machine while securing adhesively coated contacting surfaces thereon, and for continuously discharging the properly sealed articles from the machine.

Changes maybe made in the form,-construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from'the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A sealing apparatus of the character described for adhesively securing surfaces'together with a strong, smooth and substantially uniform bond comprising means-for supporting an article or the like having contacting surfaces with adhesive therebetween, means including a pressure plate of substantial area for applying a pressure on said article or the like to press said contacting surfaces together, and means for causing said pressure plate to wobble in opposite directions a plurality of times while in contact with the article to vary said pressure during setting of the adhesive. 1

2.A sealing apparatus of the character described for adhesively securing surfaces together with a strong, smooth and substantially uniform bond comprising means for supporting an article or the like having contacting surfaces with adhesive therebetween, means includinga plurality of pressure membe's of substantial area for applying pressure over substantially the entire adhesive covered area of the contacting surfaces of said article or the like, and means for causing each of said pressure members to wobble in opposite directions aplurality or times while in contact with -the articletovary 7 said pressure during setting of the adhesive. 1

v 2. 4am

of the adhesive covered area of the contacting surfaces. a

4. A sealing apparatus of the character described for adhesively securing surfaces together comprising means for supporting an article or the like having contacting smfaces with adhesive therehetween, a presser' plate adapted to press against said contacting surfaces, and means for rocking said plate a plurality of times in diflerent directions while in contact with said surfaces to vary the pressure applied by the plate.

' apparatus and the relative speed with which the 5. A sealing apparatus of the character described for adhesively securing surfaces together comprising meansfor supporting an article or the like having contacting surfaces with adhesive therebetween, a plurality of presser plates adapted to engage said contacting surfaces over substantially the entire adhesive covered area thereof, and means for rocking each of said plates while in contact with said surfaces, said last named means causing adjacent plates to rock in opposite directions to apply alternately increasing and decreasing pressures to certain portions oi the contacting surfaces while applying alternately decreasing and increasing pressures to other portions of said surfaces.

6. A sealing apparatus of the flaracter described for adhesively securing surfaces together comprising means for supporting an article or the like having contacting surfaces with adhesive therebetween, a presser plate adapted to press against said contacting surfaces, means for imparting movement to said plate to move said article or the like through said apparatus, and means for rocking said plate a plurality of times in dinerent directions during said movement to vary the pressure applied by the plate to said contactingsurfaces.

7. A sealing apparatus of the character described for adhesively securing surfaces together comprising means for supporting an article or the like having contacting surfaces with adhesive therebetween, a continuously moving conveyor, a

presser member carried by said conveyor and adapted to engage and press against said contacting surfaces, said conveyor and presser member providing for moving said article or the like through said apparatus, and means for rocking -$.Asealing apparatusof theeharacterda' scribed foradhesively securing surfaces together with a r n smooth and uniform bond comprising means for supporting anarticle or thelike him 602W surfaces with 811- hesive therebetween, means including a plurality of pressure members of substantial-area for applyingapressureonsaldarticleorthelikstopress said contacting surfaces together, andmeans for imparting'awobblingmotiontoeachofsaidpressurememberswhilcin contact withtheartieleto aidpressureduringrietflngofthe'adhesivc.

said last named means causing adjacent preaure membersto wobble in different directions to apply said presser member to impart a wobbling motion thereto during movement of the article or the like through the apparatus to vary the pressure applied by themember to said contacting surfaces.

8. A sealing apparatus of the character described for adhesively securing surfaces together comprising means for supporting an article or the like having contacting surfaces with adhesive therebetween, conveyor means for moving said article through said apparatus, a presser plate adapted. to engage said contacting surfaces carried by,said conveyor means. and means co-oper-.

ating with the conveyor means for causing said presser plate to have a wobbling motion in different directions a plurality of times while in contact with the article to apply varying pressures on said surfaces during passage of the article or the through the apparatus.

9. A sealing apparatus of the character described for adhesively securing surfaces together comprising means for supporting an article or the like having contacting surfaces with adhesive therebetween, a presser plate adapted to press against said contacting surfaces. means for advancing said plate to move said article or the like through said apparatus. and means including a diiierentvariable to different portions to cam track for guiding said presser plate and gage said article to seal a portion thereof. and

means for alternately rocking said presser memher in opposite directions a plurality of times while continuously in cut with said articletoeilect said sealing. Y

i4. Sealing apparatus of the character described comprising a presser member adapted to engage an article to seal a portion 'thrreoi, conveyor means for moving said article and said presser member through a predetermined path.

and means for substantially continuously rocking veyor chain, a guide. member extending along the inner reach of said conveyor chain, and a cam track on said guide member engageable by said rollers for eflecting rocking movement of said presser plate during e of the article through 'the apparatus.

11. A sealing apparatus or the character described for adhesively securing wrappers or the like about articles comprising means for feeding a wrapped article having overlapping portions with adhesive therebetween at opposite ends of the article, a pair of continuously moving conveyors, a plurality of presser plates carried by each of said conveyors and adapted to engage and apply pressure on said opposite ends oi the article, said conveyors and'presser plates providing for receiving and moving said article through said apparatus, and means for rocking said presser plates to vary the pressure applied by the plates to the ends of the article during movement of the article through the apparatus.

12. A sealing apparatus of the character described for adhesively securing surfaces together comprising means for supporting an article or the like having contacting surfaces with adhesive therebetween, a conveyor means, a plurality of presser plates carried by said conveyor means and adapted to press against said contacting surfaces, and means including a plurality of spaced rollers for guiding and supporting one reach of said conveyor and cooperating with the conveyor means to eiiect rocking movement of said presser plates while in contact with said surfaces.

13. Sealing apparatus of the character described comprising means ior supporting an article to be sealed, a presser member adapted to ensaid presser member in opposite directions a plurality of times while in engagement with said article to effect said sealing.

l5. Sealing apparatus of the character described comprising a pair of prmer members adapted respectively to engage two opposite ends of an article to be sealed,conveyor means for moving said article and said pressermembers through a predetermined path, and means for substantially continuously rocking said presser members in opposite directions a plurality of times while in engagement with said article to effect sealing thereof.

16. Sealing apparatus of the character described comprising a pair of continuously moving conveyors, a presser plate carried by each of said conveyors and adapted to engage and apply pressure on opposite ends of an article to be sealed, said conveyors and presser plates providing for receiving and moving said article through said apparatus, and means for rocking said presser plates a plurality of times while in engagement with the article to vary the pressure applied by said plates to the ends of the article during movement through the apparatus.

17. Sealing apparatus oi the character described comprising a conveyor means, a presser plate carried by said conveyor means and adapted to engage and apply pressure on an article to be sealed, and means including a plurality of spaced rollers for guiding and supporting one reach of said conveyor means and cooperating with the conveyor means to effect a plurality of rocking movements in diiferent directions or said presrer plate while in contact with said article.

CLARENCE J. MALHIOT. 

